Hardware controls take pictures and videosAllows the app to take pictures and videos with the camera. This permission allows the app to use the camera at any time without your confirmation. Network communication full network accessAllows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet. Phone calls read phone status and identity Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. This permission allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call. System tools prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping Allows the app to prevent the tablet from going to sleep. Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep. Hardware controls control vibration Allows the app to control the vibrator. control flashlight Allows the app to control the flashlight. Network communication view network connectionsAllows the app to view information about network connections such as which networks exist and are connected.

Another flashlight app was even worse, also requiring access to GPS location and SD Card. For a goddamn flashlight! It seems as though every Android App requires you to sign over your soul; are other platforms less intrusive?

Presumably the app needs camera permissions because it needs to use them to access the camera's flash, which is no doubt what it's using as a flashlight. I agree that the other bolded items are a bit overboard, although the network ones might be necessary for the app to check for updates.

Hardware controlstest hardwareAllows the app to control various peripherals for the purpose of hardware testing.control flashlightAllows the app to control the flashlight.control vibrationAllows the app to control the vibrator.

TAKE PICTURES AND VIDEOSAllows the app to take pictures and videos with the camera. This permission allows the app to use the camera at any time without your confirmation.SYSTEM TOOLSDRAW OVER OTHER APPSAllows the app to draw on top of other applications or parts of the user interface. They may interfere with your use of the interface in any application, or change what you think you are seeing in other applications.PREVENT TABLET FROM SLEEPING PREVENT PHONE FROM SLEEPINGAllows the app to prevent the tablet from going to sleep. Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.

take pictures and videosAllows the app to take pictures and videos with the camera. This permission allows the app to use the camera at any time without your confirmation.

This is used for devices where the flashlight is controlled by the camera controller IC as well as older versions of Android (pre-2.2, I think) where there was no independent flashlight access.

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full network accessAllows the app to create network sockets and use custom network protocols. The browser and other applications provide means to send data to the internet, so this permission is not required to send data to the internet.

Probably some kind of reporting or ad targeting. Most ads in apps are supplied by APIs within Android, meaning no "full network access" permission is needed. If you're a privacy type, this sets off alarms.

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read phone status and identity Allows the app to access the phone features of the device. This permission allows the app to determine the phone number and device IDs, whether a call is active, and the remote number connected by a call.

Allows the app to access the device's Android ID, which is a type of GUID. Probably used for tracking purposes. Alarms again.

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prevent tablet from sleeping prevent phone from sleeping Allows the app to prevent the tablet from going to sleep. Allows the app to prevent the phone from going to sleep.

Used, well, obviously. It's so the device doesn't sleep while the app is running.

(To be clear: Permissions are listed for personal data: Location awareness, and access to contacts, calendars, reminders, photos, bluetooth, and the built-in Twitter and Facebook integration. Specific access to network access, for example, is not listed).

(To be clear: Permissions are listed for personal data: Location awareness, and access to contacts, calendars, reminders, photos, bluetooth, and the built-in Twitter and Facebook integration. Specific access to network access, for example, is not listed).

That's convenient, then, but they should still provide this prior to installing.

I use few (just about no) apps because it seems like most want location data, among other things. And it is fine location, got just your general area. I can do without most of the apps if that and the other data they request is the trade-off.

For a goddamn flashlight! It seems as though every Android App requires you to sign over your soul; are other platforms less intrusive?

As others have noted, Android just gets it right there in your face, while the others assume you would just hit accept. It's likely doing some kind of ad/tracking stuff. You will find that simple single purpose apps like that are usually either a little unpolished and someone's personal project for the hell of it, or a vehicle for ads and tracking. Sometimes there are legitimate reasons for permissions that seem excessive, but for something like a flashlight don't take the risk. At this point there are innumerable apps that let you turn on the flash LED, so no reason to deal with something like you linked.